Beginners Hilly HIIT

[Reefcat]

Been back on a bike for three months now & really enjoying it. 60 years old, stopped smoking 7 months ago & trying to lose weight & get a bit fitter at the same time. Got a GPS with HRM in mid November & just been having a look through some of the stats.

My area is very hilly, short ones, long ones, steep ones, all sorts. I have seen a good improvement in tackling some of these, and there are one or two (short) hills that I can now do non stop. However, most of them I ride until I can't do any more, rest for a few minutes, then repeat. My distance between stops is slowly improving as is the amount of time I need to recover before I can continue. My quads are screaming as I approach the "can't go on" point, but it's invariably my breathing that actually forces me to stop. Gasping for air, bent over the handlebars for a while, can't talk, and my wife sometimes thinks I'm going to fall over, which I probably would if I didn't have the bike to rest on. In my head at least, this feels like HIIT, pedal until I have to stop, recover for a bit, then do it again. I am improving almost every ride, so really happy that I can see improvement.

When I first started riding, my HR maxed at about 135 before I had to stop. A few weeks later my HR maxed out at 145 before stopping, later again I hit 154. I keep adjusting the MAX HR on the Garmin, to reflect these changes. Yesterday I did a local hill without stopping for the first time (chuffed), max HR was 165 the highest yet. I should add that average HR has also been creeping up, and this trend has been over 50 or so rides.

I am a little surprised that my achievable Max HR has increased by such a lot. My conclusion is that I was so unfit, other factors were forcing me to stop before getting close to my true max. Not unhappy about any of this, on the contrary, inspired to continue on hills and find some bigger/longer ones. At my age, I expect the HR to flatten out soon, but curious to know if any other beginners have similar experiences?

 

[Travs]

You've certainly gone at it hammer and tongs - and the performance improvements are showing the work so well done. I think considering the fact that you've given up smoking only 7 months ago fer what I consider to be a few years I'm betting - that is going to be your weakest link for a while. I have up a few years ago after about 20 years. I would estimate there is is still an impact now but the work and time will lessen it.
As far HR, it appears to be a bit of a mystery that I wouldn't now where to start. Although your basic theoretical max is 160, some people have diesel engines, some people are hummingbirds.
Go with what you feel but don't be worried about stopping. HIIT can be good for all sorts of things but its hard on the system. you said you've been back on the bike - how long were you off it before the last 3 months?

 

[Sbudge]

From personal and family experience you need to take theoretical Max HR with a huge dose of (low sodium) salt. It can easily vary from predicted value by >20bpm (in either direction) for a given person. High intensity training will tend to improve your tolerance of very high heart rates until you can reach and sustain your 'true' max HR.

I'm certainly no expert but I agree it'll almost certainly plateau soon enough and you'll be able to work on improving the challenges required to get you to Max.

 

[Reefcat]

Yep all a bit hammer & tongs. After quitting smoking the kids came over to stay for a bit in the autumn. I have two daughters who both compete in triathlons, and a son who regularly throws himself down mountains on a home built MTB. I didn't stand a chance really They're all coming back over in April, another triathlon, so I hope to be able to keep up with them for a little while on a local ride or two. Also want a go at a bit of downhill with my son, used to ride Bultacos & KTMs back in the day, so doing it without a motor might be fun.

Smoked for 44 years before managing to quit using vaping When I said I've been back on the bike, more realistically I've never really been on one, at least as a "proper" cyclist. Used one all the time until I got my BSA Bantam on the road at 16, hardly used one since apart from a brief interlude when I used a hybrid around town for a year or so, but all very short distances, and definitely no hills.

 

[Darren Gregory]

@Reefcat well done on quitting. Keep up the great work and most of all enjoy the cycling, even more so if you can enjoy it with friends and family. My son is 5 this week and whilst I have never smoked, his arrival pulled me out of a life of lounging partying and the occasional football/running to a life now where I cycle pretty much every weekday and try and get some in at the weekend. I am really looking forward to being able to go out with my son on long rides.

All the best, Darren.

 

[Reefcat]

It was a holiday ride with the kids that got me going with this in the first place. We hired bikes for a family day out, then the hire company took us to the top of Monchique (1100m or so). We then had a great day cycling (mostly) down the mountain for about 35k. Want to do it again some day, but maybe ride up it first. Could be a year or two away from that though

 

[Travs]

All in good time. But sounds like you've got the terrain and, no doubt, weather for plenty of hitting the road. Perhaps use base miles as recovery rides for days after the hill reps. Easy spinning that gets the blood flowing into the muscles and gets your system working gently. You'll be up and down the mountain in no time.
And definitely the best move to jack in the fags too - well done!

 

[rugby bloke]

Sounds like you are making great progress, well done on dropping the fags, its going to make a real difference. I cannot offer too much advice - I find hills hard work no matter the miles I put in. I go by the phrase "You don't find them easier, you just go quicker". It does sound like you have stumbled on your own HITT training regime, so remember to mix it up with other work outs so that your stamina over distance keeps up.

 

[HeroesFitness]

Great to see how you have progressd so well, keep it up, especially the giving up of smoking :-)

 

[Tin Pot]

Been back on a bike for three months now & really enjoying it. 60 years old, stopped smoking 7 months ago & trying to lose weight & get a bit fitter at the same time. Got a GPS with HRM in mid November & just been having a look through some of the stats.

My area is very hilly, short ones, long ones, steep ones, all sorts. I have seen a good improvement in tackling some of these, and there are one or two (short) hills that I can now do non stop. However, most of them I ride until I can't do any more, rest for a few minutes, then repeat. My distance between stops is slowly improving as is the amount of time I need to recover before I can continue. My quads are screaming as I approach the "can't go on" point, but it's invariably my breathing that actually forces me to stop. Gasping for air, bent over the handlebars for a while, can't talk, and my wife sometimes thinks I'm going to fall over, which I probably would if I didn't have the bike to rest on. In my head at least, this feels like HIIT, pedal until I have to stop, recover for a bit, then do it again. I am improving almost every ride, so really happy that I can see improvement.

When I first started riding, my HR maxed at about 135 before I had to stop. A few weeks later my HR maxed out at 145 before stopping, later again I hit 154. I keep adjusting the MAX HR on the Garmin, to reflect these changes. Yesterday I did a local hill without stopping for the first time (chuffed), max HR was 165 the highest yet. I should add that average HR has also been creeping up, and this trend has been over 50 or so rides.

I am a little surprised that my achievable Max HR has increased by such a lot. My conclusion is that I was so unfit, other factors were forcing me to stop before getting close to my true max. Not unhappy about any of this, on the contrary, inspired to continue on hills and find some bigger/longer ones. At my age, I expect the HR to flatten out soon, but curious to know if any other beginners have similar experiences?

Well done on the life style change!

It'll take a while for heart rate data to start making sense, in my experience - both your body getting used to the exercise, and you getting used to a heart rate strap properly (if it's a wrist HR, then I ignore its output).

I live on a hill, and my riding started two and a half years ago, all short hilly rides. I would look at some longer, less hilly rides to help build slow twitch muscle more quickly. You can use google maps to get an idea of how hilly a bike route will be.

 

[Reefcat]

Had a great ride yesterday, only 30k but that's about my maximum so far. I really look forward to plugging the Garmin into the PC when I get home. I've set up a few segments on some of the regular hills & it's very inspiring to see the progress. I've now "conquered" two local hills, conquered in this sense means that I got up them without having to stop. Just a few months ago I would have arrived at the bottom of the hills with the certainty that I would need to stop & recover a bit. It was then a question of seeing how far I could get up them before stopping & aiming a little higher every time.

We're going to have a go at a longer 40k ride next week, it will also have the most elevation we've ever tried before on one ride, about 450metres, I know this is small beer for many of you, but it's close to being a mountain for me

 

[rugby bloke]

Had a great ride yesterday, only 30k but that's about my maximum so far. I really look forward to plugging the Garmin into the PC when I get home. I've set up a few segments on some of the regular hills & it's very inspiring to see the progress. I've now "conquered" two local hills, conquered in this sense means that I got up them without having to stop. Just a few months ago I would have arrived at the bottom of the hills with the certainty that I would need to stop & recover a bit. It was then a question of seeing how far I could get up them before stopping & aiming a little higher every time.

We're going to have a go at a longer 40k ride next week, it will also have the most elevation we've ever tried before on one ride, about 450metres, I know this is small beer for many of you, but it's close to being a mountain for me

That's great news and don't worry, there are plenty of us who have our own personal demons when it comes to hill climbing. Slow and steady improvements are definitely the way to go. I think once you have got over the barrier of having to stop for a breather then its a real break through. I think its often in your head, for me I always worry about the local hills and they become mountains in my mind, whilst I can come across a similar hill on a new ride and pedal up it without the drama.

 

[Darren Gregory]

Had a great ride yesterday, only 30k but that's about my maximum so far. I really look forward to plugging the Garmin into the PC when I get home. I've set up a few segments on some of the regular hills & it's very inspiring to see the progress. I've now "conquered" two local hills, conquered in this sense means that I got up them without having to stop. Just a few months ago I would have arrived at the bottom of the hills with the certainty that I would need to stop & recover a bit. It was then a question of seeing how far I could get up them before stopping & aiming a little higher every time.

We're going to have a go at a longer 40k ride next week, it will also have the most elevation we've ever tried before on one ride, about 450metres, I know this is small beer for many of you, but it's close to being a mountain for me

Great stuff keep it up. I like you would have baulked at many a hill I can now climb but still get depressed when some racing snake roars past me up the hill and then repeats it a couple of times in the time it takes me to do it once. But always remember where and how far you have come from and keep improving.

I still have my sight set on a 16% short stretch that is at the top of a longer hill that I keep bailing out of. I will get there in time.

 

[Montydog]

great stuff well done

 

[Travs]

Just a few months ago I would have arrived at the bottom of the hills with the certainty that I would need to stop & recover a bit

That can be more powerful than you realise. Believe you can do it. Well done on the progress!